Bump cap hat

ABSTRACT

The presented invention is a light weight protective bump cap hat. The bump cap hat has an insert comprised of flexible joints and wings that allow for adjustable horizontal and vertical dimensions of the insert to more readily accommodate various head shapes and sizes. The bump cap insert also has venting channels to allow better venting around the comfort pad and out the crown of the bump cap while being worn by a user.

CLAIM OF BENEFIT TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.67/748,474 filed Oct. 21, 2018; and such application is hereby fullyincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to protective headwear. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a bump cap hat that islighter, more flexible, better ventilated and more comfortable than theprior art.

BACKGROUND

Bump cap are useful for protecting the wearer's head from bumps, cutsand bruises as a result of contact with objects such as overhead pipes,low ceilings and other objects. Bump cap can be configured to beinserted into a cap or hat, or can be integrated into a cap.

Bump caps that are currently integrated into hats have two issues inwarmer environments: heat retention and weight.

There is an unfulfilled need for a bump cap hat that is betterventilated, lighter, and more flexible to comfortably accommodate avariety of head sizes.

SUMMARY

The disclosed bump cap hat provides head protection that is lighter,better ventilated, more flexible for comfort and fit, and cooler for usein hotter temperatures, and designed for ease of use while wearing headphones and ear protection.

This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, ordescribe each embodiment, implementation, feature or advantage of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is perspective side view of a preferred embodiment of a bump caphat with integrated bump cap insert showing venting apertures.

FIG. 2 is a rear view a preferred embodiment of a bump cap hat withintegrated bump cap insert showing venting apertures.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of apreferred embodiment of a bump cap hat showing venting apertures.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the bump cap showing themoisture-wicking liner, and foam impact layer, and various air channelsand venting apertures of the bump cap insert FIG. 5 is a top plan viewof the moisture wicking liner removed from the bump cap insert.

FIG. 6 is a perspective left side view of the bump cap insert showingthe wings, flex joints and the plurality of venting apertures.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the bump cap hat showing the ventingchannels and apertures on the crown portion.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the bump cap insert showing the moisturewicking liner and the air channels that run above the comfort pad.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the bump cap insert showing thefront visor portion and the two adjacent flex joints.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A bump cap hat with integrated bump cap insert is herein described. Thebump cap hat disclosed herein is comfortable, highly-ventilated, andcomprises an impact-resistant inner shell that provides protectionagainst cranial bumps, bruises, scrapes, and other minor head injuries.The bump cap hat disclosed here in provides head protection that meetsthe EN 812-2012 standard and weighs less than 5 oz/135 g.

The exemplary bump cap hat is a ball styled hat that includesventilation in the form of apertures on the crown and side panelportions of the hat. The bump cap hat is configured to accept a bump capinsert. The bump cap insert is made of a light-weight high-densitypolyethylene and weighs less than 130 g. The bump cap insert comprisesair channels in the crown portion of the shell to allow for air flow andventing. The interior of the insert comprises a moisture wicking linerwith raised portion to create area for air flow, and a layer of expandedpolypropylene foam (EPP) for impact and bump protection. The airchannels are vented by channel vent holes. The preferred embodiment bumpcap disclosed herein also comprises at least four rear fins. A pair oflower rear fins and a pair of upper rear fins are preferred. The rearfins are defined by joints that allow the fins to flex vertically andhorizontally. This flexibility creates a more universal fit by allowingthe bump cap to flex in both vertical and horizontal directions to allowfor the adjustment for fit over a variety of head shapes and sizes. Thisflexibility also aides in relieving pressure on the neck during theturning or other movement of the head of a user. The lower sideperimeter of the bump cap insert comprises two scooped-out portionsadjacent the ears of the user. The scoop allows for the use of hearingproduction, head phones and the like. The flex of the lower fins furtheraides in allowing the scooped-out portion to flex to accommodate the useof various sized headphones and hearing protection.

The front visor of the bump cap insert is more rounded and slopes moregradually from top to bottom than the prior art. This feature betteraccommodates and better supports the forehead portion of bump cap hatdisclosed herein.

The bump cap hat will now be described with reference to the figures.

Bump cap hat 10 is a ball type cap that has been adapted for use withbump cap insert 100. More particularly, bump cap hat 10 comprises areasthat are perforated with vent apertures. These areas are right crownvent panel 20, left crown vent panel 22, right side panel 25 and leftside panel 30. This vent panels cooperate with bump cap insert 100 tovent warm air out and away for the user's head. Though the panels hereinare defined by seams, one skilled in the art would understand that theseams could be placed in different locations and the spirit of theinvention is met so long as the areas vented remains generally asdescribed herein. Bump cap hat 10 also comprises rear panel 12, foreheadpanel 13 and sweatband 14.

Bump cap insert 100 comprises a crown portion 110, a rear visor 115, afront visor portion 120, lower wings 130 and upper wings 140. The flexjoints depicted are lower flex joints 145 and upper flex joints 147.Lower flex joints 145 and lower perimeter 150 define lower wings 130.Lower flex joint 145 provides for much of the horizontal and verticalflexibility of lower wings 130. Upper flex joints 147 and rear visor 115define upper wings 140. Upper flex joints 147 provide much of thehorizontal and vertical flexibility of upper wings 140. Lower perimeter150 defines scoop areas 152 on either side of bump cap insert 100 whichallows for a user of bump cap insert 100 to more easily wear earproduction, head phones, ear muffs and the like. Flex joints 145 and 147cooperate, along with the generally overall flexibility of bump cap 100,to allow scooped areas 152 to deform sufficiently to accommodate varioussizes of objects worn over a user's ears.

As best can be viewed in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8, air channels 155 run abovemoisture wicking liner 179. Moisture wicking liner 179 comprises raisedportions 180. Moisture wicking liner 179 is constructed to wick moistureaway from the head of a user to promote additional cooling. Raisedportions 180 provide area for air venting through crown 110 via airchannel vent holes 160 while bump cap 100 is in use. Foam impact layer187 is located between moisture wicking liner 179 and crown 110. Impactlayer 187 helps to absorb shock imparted on bump cap hat 10. Crown 110comprises air channels 155. Air channels 155 contain air channel ventholes 160. Bump cap 100 comprise a plurality of surface apertures 170located throughout the bump cap's surface. These surface apertures 170provide additional venting as well as reducing the weight of the bumpcap.

As best depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, front visor 120 is defined by frontflex joints 185 and crown 110. The rounded shape of front visor 120 incombination with flex joints 185 allows front visor to move in and outto allow better fit under bump cap hat 10.

Bump cap insert 100 is configured to be secured into bump cap hat 10 byplacing lower perimeter 150 of bump cap insert 110 into the flap formedby sweatband 14.

The use of a ball type cap in the disclosure above is exemplary. Itshould be clear to one skilled in the art that ball cap insert 110 maybe used with other hats.

While the invention has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments,it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that theinvention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It will bereadily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that manymodifications and equivalent arrangements can be made thereof withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, suchscope to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claimsso as to encompass all equivalent structures and products. Moreover,features or aspects of various example embodiments may be mixed andmatched (even if such combination is not explicitly described herein)without departing from the scope of the invention.

For purposes of interpreting the claims for the present invention, it isexpressly intended that the provisions of Section 112, sixth paragraphof 35 U.S.C. are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for”or “step for” are recited in a claim.

1. A light weight bump cap hat comprising: a hat having a crown defining a plurality of venting apertures, a bill and a forehead portion; the hat configured to accommodate a bump cap insert; the bump cap insert being generally the shape of a top portion of a human skull having a crown, a rear visor, a front visor, a left side portion and a right side portion; the left side portion having a left side lower wing and a left side upper wing; the left side lower wing being defined by a left side lower flex joint and a left side lower perimeter of the bump cap; the left side upper wing being defined by a left side upper flex joint and a left side perimeter of the rear visor; the left side lower perimeter defining a left side scoop; the right side portion having a right side lower wing and a right side upper wing; the right side lower wing being defined by a right side lower flex joint and a right side lower perimeter of the bump cap; the right side upper wing being defined by a right side upper flex joint and a right side perimeter of the rear visor; the right side lower perimeter defining a right side scoop; the crown having raised channels comprising vent apertures that allow air flow from an underside of the bump cap; the underside of the bump cap insert being configured with a moisture wicking liner; wherein the moisture wicking liner allows air flow around the moister wicking liner and out though the vent apertures; and, wherein the left side and right side flex joints cooperate to flex in both a horizontal and a vertical direction to better conform to the head shape of a user.
 2. The bump cap hat of claim 1 wherein the right side scoop and the left side scoop of the bump cap insert flex to accommodate hearing protection, head phones and the like, worn by a user.
 3. The bump cap hat of claim 1 wherein the front visor of the bump cap insert is rounded and is defined by a left side front flex joint and a right side front flex joint.
 4. A light weight bump cap hat comprising: a bump cap insert generally the shape of the top portion of a human skull having a crown, the crown have a top side and an under side, a rear visor, and a front visor; the bump cap insert comprising at least two wings, each wing having at least one adjacent flex joint, wherein each flex joint allows for horizontal and vertical movement of each wing; the crown top side having at least two channels that protrude from the crown top side, the at least two channels defining a plurality of apertures such that air flow is allowed to flow from the crown underside into the channels and out through the apertures; the crown under side comprising a moisture wicking insert; and, wherein the air flow from the crown underside into the channels and out though the apertures is not fully obstructed by the moisture wicking insert.
 5. The bump cap hat of claim 4 wherein the bump cap insert front visor is rounded to better accommodate a forehead portion of the bump cap hat.
 6. The bump cap of claim 4 wherein the bump cap insert also comprises a lower perimeter, the lower perimeter defining at least one scooped out portion adjacent an ear of a user, wherein the scooped out portion serves to accommodate hearing protection, head phones and the like, worn by a user. 